MTV and QUIT®, the UK charity which helps people to stop smoking, have joined forces
to help smokers in their teens, 20s and 30s kick the habit.
MTV Smoke Screen is following ten smokers aged between 18 and 36 as they attempt to stop smoking within a month. Five methods of quitting - Nicotine Replacement Therapy, going cold turkey, cutting down, hypnotherapy and aversion therapy - are being trialled by the smokers.
UK participants are Manchester catering manager Phil Clift and Londoner Rachel Carnell, who is currently studying at Manchester University.
31-year-old Phil has smoked for 18 years and currently smokes 15 to 20 cigarettes day. He is trialling the acupuncture method and said: “A few years ago I tried patches, which were working well for a few days until I stopped using them and started smoking again.”
Aspiring actress Rachel, 22, has been smoking for 8 years and is hoping to quit using hypnotherapy. She said: “I want to quit because it's expensive, I’m very unfit and my teeth aren't quite as white as they used to be.”
The other participants come from Denmark, Germany, Spain and Hungary.
They will film and blog about their experiences on the website at http://www.mtv-smokescreen.com/ and receive expert advice from one of QUIT’s youth advisors Alison Walsh – known as Miss Quit.
Alison said: “This is a really exciting project with tailor-made online support to each young person. This innovative approach is great as there is a real feeling of community throughout the programme.
“As the communication with the quitters is in the form of a day by day blog, there is a real feeling of immediacy. This allows me to better understand the day to day challenges faced by the quitters and offer advice that fits well with each individual’s lifestyle and personality.”
Vicaom Brand Solution International (VBSI) said: “We have worked with media agency Carat and the EU to create an innovative, engaging and real content platform for youth across Europe to share and discover the realities and challenges of quitting smoking.
“QUIT’s support has proved invaluable in enabling us to talk responsibly to MTV’s core youth demographic about this important topic with authority and competence while at the same time maintaining MTV’s traditional irreverent tone.”
Photographs available on request.
For more information about MTV Europe and the Smoke Screen project, please contact Carlos Dunn on 020 7478 6381 or email dunn.carlos@mtvne.com
For more information about QUIT, contact Nicola Orchard or Glyn Mcintosh on 020 7469 0414/0207 469 0409, out of hours 07958 795199 or email n.orchard@quit.org.uk
About QUIT
QUIT is the independent UK charity which has helped over two million smokers to stop. More details about QUIT are available on www.quit.org.uk
About VBSI
Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBSI), is Viacom’s international in-house brand solutions sales business. VBSI represents all the TV, digital and mobile channels of MTV Networks International – MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Flux, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One, Neopets, GameTrailers, Shockwave, Addicting Games, Atom Films and Xfire. MTV Networks' brands are seen globally in 560 million households in 162 countries and 33 languages via more than 166 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 350 digital media properties.
VBSI delivers advertisers creative cross platform solutions that engage consumers by investing in significant insight and by utilising the strengths of our youth and entertainment brands across multiple markets. These solutions are founded upon definitive creativity and innovative solutions constructed around branded content, sponsorship, promotions, events, new media and licensing opportunities. For more information visit: www.vbs-media.com
About MTV Networks International:
MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One and IFILM. MTV Networks' brands are seen globally in 511.0 million households in 162 countries and 32 languages via more than 145 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 300 digital media properties.
The company's diverse holdings also include interests in television syndication, digital media, publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and two feature film divisions, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
The European Network of Quitlines has full editorial control of all materials relating to the European Smoke Free Awards and full control over the selection criteria and selection of |
